It's that time again! The changing of the seasons to Spring means it's time for another of my reading lists. I have 15 books — classic and contemporary — that are in the process of being adapted into movies. Check out the literary offerings that I've compiled, and see the stars who are already lined up to bring the pages to life.
Kate Winslet hosted the Cardboard Citizens gala fundraiser in London on Saturday. The actress arrived in a white dress by French designer Max Chaoul, before auctioning it off later that evening to help raise funds for the charity. She's been a longtime supporter of the nonprofit, which helps homeless people get back on their feet through theater. Kate, whose new ads for Lancôme were just unveiled, has had a busy March full of philanthropy, modeling, and press duties. Her can't miss HBO miniseries, Mildred Pierce, debuts on the 27th, and she also graces the current cover of Glamour. Kate is already getting awards buzz for her new role, but told the magazine one of her biggest achievements is keeping her kids grounded and polite despite her fame.
The big screen adaptation of The Hobbit has encountered its fair share of bumps in the road, but it sounds like the Lord of the Rings prequel is finally under way. To review, Elijah Wood will have a small part as Frodo, while Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis will reprise their roles as Gandalf and Gollum, respectively.
As extra reassurance to fans that the film is officially in the works, the studio has released these two official stills from the movie featuring director Peter Jackson just chillin' in the Shire. It's enough to get me excited about another trip to Middle Earth, what about you?
When we got to to see the first trailer for the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, On Stranger Tides, it felt like there was a little bit of the franchise's magic missing. Now we have trailer number two, and it's a bit more exciting than the first.
As expected, it has more of Johnny Depp's one-liners as Captain Jack Sparrow, along with some sexy sparring with costar Penelope Cruz. More importantly, we also get to see a bit more of the mermaid factor, and why they're such a big part of this sequel. One is needed to help the Captain Jack and his rival Blackbeard (Ian McShane) to get to The Fountain of Youth — the thin but interesting objective of the movie. Watch this new trailer and see if gets you any more excited for the latest Pirates installment when you read more
Halle Berry joined stars including Superman's new dad Kevin Costner, Kelly Clarkson, and a slimmed-down Jordin Sparks in Phoenix, AZ, for the annual Celebrity Fight Night awards ceremony on Saturday. The actress was without her boyfriend, Olivier Martinez, at the dinner, but did plant a kiss on Muhammad Ali, who hosts the yearly event. Halle made her way to the desert after shooting her role in New Year's Eve in NYC earlier this month and throwing her daughter, Nahla, a beachside third birthday party in LA just last week.
It's official: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on board for The Dark Knight Rises! Rumors of the actor's involvement have been circling for some time, so the news shouldn't come as a huge surprise; however, we finally have word on what part he'll play. Even though JGL won't be stepping in as the Riddler like many of us had hoped, he will take on the character of Alberto Falcone, aka "The Holiday Killer," a serial killer and son of Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson in Batman Begins).
Gordon-Levitt is just the latest Hollywood star to sign on for the anticipated film. To recap: JGL's fellow Inception actor Tom Hardy is locked in for bad guy Bane. Marion Cotillard has been mentioned as a potential Batman love interest, and Anne Hathaway will play the woman who eventually becomes Catwoman. But the casting isn't over just yet, as Christopher Nolan may be adding another female to his list with Juno Temple. The hot up-and-comer's name is being tossed around as a "street-smart" Gotham girl, though that's all we know at the moment.
Does this latest bit of news get you excited for the film? I can't wait to see JGL transform into a sinister villain!
Katie Holmes and her design partner Jeanne Yang previewed their Fall 2011 Holmes & Yang collection at Barneys in Beverly Hills on Saturday. The twosome are on a tour of the department store chain to show off their line, which also includes their first foray into bag making. Katie and Jeanne teamed up with Valextra, which is a favorite bag brand of the actress. Katie's time home in LA will be brief, since she's expected back in NYC by Tuesday to premiere The Decision, her mysterious new short film for John Frieda. Katie and Suri spent last week in the Big Apple taking in shows and enjoying girls' nights out on the town while Tom Cruise keeps working on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol in Vancouver.
